The CVM Staff Council is pleased to highlight the Accounting Service Center (ASC) in the September 2019 edition of CVM eNews. The ASC is located in the heart of the College, on the 3^rd floor of Schurman Hall.

Recently, the ASC staff took a few minutes out of their busy schedules to talk to the CVM Staff Council about the work that they do to support the College.

Staff Council: Broadly, please tell us what the ASC does?

ASC: We facilitate the financial workings of the entire college. This includes processing all expenditures for the Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA), Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC), Facilities, academic programs, research laboratories and administrative units. We also process all receipts for the College, with the exception of receipts for CUHA and the AHDC.

Staff Council: You must handle a tremendous number of transactions each month! Can you provide us with some statistics?

ASC: For the most recent fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, we processed over 51,000 transactions. About half of those were for purchases made with pcards, both in the departments and in the ASC. 

Staff Council: Tell us about the structure of the ASC and the demographics of the people who work in the group.

ASC: The ASC is comprised of two teams, one of which primarily serves academic groups, the other which supports the service units and administration. The 18 employees who make up the teams come from a variety of backgrounds such as banking, human resources, budget and payroll, making up a diverse group with a wide range of skills. As a group we also have a long history of working at Cornell, with a total of about 350 years of service behind us.

Staff Council: It appears that you work very closely together. What do you most appreciate about being part of the ASC group?

ASC: We work in very close quarters physically and depend on each other to get our jobs done. We function well together because we respect each other’s space and are considerate of each other’s needs. We also make a point to enjoy some non-work activities together, such as contributing to the Elf Program, celebrating birthdays and chipping in for lottery tickets when the stakes are high!

Staff Council: What aspects of your work in the ASC do you value the most highly?

ASC: Almost everyone at the College, from staff to students to faculty, walks through our doors at one time or another. We appreciate meeting others in the community and helping them get their jobs done. We also enjoy opportunities for personal development. We are constantly being trained to understand updates to the financial systems we use, and we have access to classes through the School of Continuing Education. Another benefit is the flexibility to serve in campus organizations. Members of the ASC have historically been involved in the CVM Staff Council, the Employee Assembly and the University Assembly.

Staff Council: What is one thing you’d like to tell the CVM community about the ASC?

ASC: We view ourselves as a customer service group operating within the bounds of Cornell University. As we mentioned, we enjoy problem solving and find it gratifying to help everyone at the College who depends on us to maintain smooth day-to-day operations. No problem is too big or complicated for the ASC to tackle!

Staff Council: Thank you, ASC, for being our CVM Staff Council’s September Spotlight. We enjoyed speaking with you and learning about your group. 

Next month, the Spotlight will be on the Waste Management Facility group. Have ideas or suggestions for an upcoming Spotlight? Email us at cvmstaffcouncil@cornell.edu